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LODGES OF W3B TAH-HEETCH LODGE - Sequoia Council #27 |
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History Tah-Heetch Lodge 195 was formed by the merger of Mirimichi Lodge 102 (1937) and Sha-Cha-Quoi Lodge 584 (1961) in January 1995, hence number 195. The central part of the San Joaquin Valley in California was the home of the Yokut Indians, as well as numerous oak trees. The name Tah-Heetch means "oak covered valley." The native prairie falcon was the mythical hero of the Yokuts and has been chosen as our totem. They called this falcon Lim'ik. According to the Yokut legend, Lim'ik and the crow named Ahl'wut built the mountains that are called the Sierra Nevada and the coastal range. The area between these two mountain ranges that extends from the Tehachapis in the South to Mount Shasta in the North is the San Joaquin Valley, the most fertile and productive valley of agricultural commodities in the world. The design of our patch was done by Tom Switajewski of Hanford, and name Tah-Heetch came from Dennis Haines of Tulare, who was also the first lodge advisor. Joey DeMate of Visalia was elected our first Lodge Chief. Through the tough years of "merger-madness," the Tah-Heetch Lodge has emerged as a single functioning unit, jam-packed with lots of spirit. Although a small up and coming lodge, Tah-Heetch is proving to be the best of both of the predecessor lodges. Though our history has just begun, we have lofty goals for the future to exceed the size and performance of the lodges that have merged to give rise to Tah-Heetch. We are forming a proud tradition of cheerful service, and we are continuing to grow in this, our brotherhood, the Wimachtendienk. |
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